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ALBI - Alexander Vinokourov was back in contention in the Tour de France after winning Sunday's 13th stage, a 54-km time trial in Albi, but Dane Michael Rasmussen retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.
Kazakh Vinokourov clocked the fastest time of one hour six minutes and 34 seconds to beat second-placed Australian Cadel Evans of the Predictor Lotto team by 1:14. Vinokourov's team mate Andreas Kloeden finished third 1:39 off the pace and Astana now have three riders in the top 10 of the overall standings.
German Kloeden crashed on the bumpy course but was soon on his bike to keep his Tour de France bid alive.
New Zealand's Julian Dean finished 106th, almost nine minutes Vinokourov.
"It was the best time trial of my life," said Rasmussen. Starting the stage with the yellow jersey is a huge motivation."
In the overall standings, Rasmussen enjoys a one-minute lead over Evans with surprise package Alberto Contador of Spain in third place 2:31 adrift of the Dane for the Discovery Channel team.
Kloeden is fourth, three seconds further behind as Vinokourov, who started the day in 19th place, moved up to ninth 5:10 behind Rabobank rider Rasmussen.
It was, however, a bad day for the Spanish favourites with Iban Mayo and Alejandro Valverde ending respectively 46th and 47th.
Vinokourov, who crashed during the fifth stage to Autun and sustained knee and elbow injuries, had dropped to 19th in the overall standings after struggling in the Alps.
"I got off to a good start, I am happy with my performance," Vinokourov told reporters. "I want to thank the fans, whose support helped me go through the Alps.
"I was on the verge of pulling out. With Andreas and 'Kash' I think I can win. I am very motivated."
"I think my legs are back. Everybody had written me off but the race is not over with two hard stages in the Pyrenees," he added.
Many riders crashed on the course after rain showers washed out the road at the beginning of the day. Prologue winner Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland was one of them.
"He came down hard but it was just a slip of the front wheel and there was nothing he could do about it," said CSC team manager Kim Andersen.
"It's so dangerous. I almost stopped on the descents, but I quite like time trialing in the rain, it feels faster," said Briton David Millar, 20th at the end of the day.
"I had good fun out there but it's treacherous, absolutely treacherous."
- REUTERS
